Ultra-practical Xinjiang travel guide: Must-read before departure, enjoy the beautiful scenery of Xinjiang
Xinjiang Tourism Consultation: (Same) 0991-8585456
Historically known as the Western Regions, Xinjiang is located in the northwest of China and borders on eight countries, including Russia, Mongolia, India, and Kazakhstan. It is renowned worldwide as the hometown of song and dance, the hometown of fruits, and the land of gold and jade.
Xinjiang is the largest province in China, occupying one-sixth of the country’s total land area. It is rich in tourism resources, with more than 1,100 scenic spots, ranking first in the country. On this vast land, there are rivers flowing swiftly, vast grasslands with azure waves, as well as fantastic Gobi landscapes, mysterious glaciers and snowy mountains, and desert wonders.
The best time to visit Northern Xinjiang is from July to September, when the sky and lakes are blue-green, the birch forests and yellow pine trees are bright and dazzling, lavender is in full bloom, and the world is like a natural oil painting. The best time to visit Southern Xinjiang is from August to October, when the scenery is charming, the weather is cool and crisp, and the fruits are fragrant. Recommended travel time: around 12 days.
Self-driving, chartered car, group tours, and free and easy travel are all feasible options. Xinjiang Dili has a large area and scattered scenic spots, making it suitable for self-driving tours with family and friends.
The classic tourist routes in Xinjiang are generally divided into the Eastern Route, Western Route, Northern Route, and Southern Route (in order: North → West → South → East). Each route includes the most famous and beautiful scenic spots, and you can choose based on actual conditions.
(1) Northern Route Tourism (mainly in the Altay Region): recommended duration of 7-8 days
Plan A: Urumqi → Koktokay → Burqin → Jiadengyu → Hemu → Kanas Lake → Baihaba → Habahe County → Colorful Beach → Burqin
Plan B: Urumqi → Koktokay → Burqin → Colorful Beach → Habahe County → Baihaba – Kanas Lake → Hemu → Jiadengyu → Burqin
Travel Routes in Altay Region
Eastern Route: Jiadengyu → Halfway Inn → Hemu Village → Black Lake → Kanas
Western Route: Kanas → Tubieke → Shuanghu → Naren Pasture → Baihaba
(2) Western Route Tourism (Mainly Yili Region): Recommended for 8-9 Days
Burqin → Urho (Ghost Town) → Sayram Lake → Guozigou Bridge → Khorgos Port → Yining → Tekes → Karakun → Nalati → Bayinbrook
(3) Southern Route Tourism (Southern Xinjiang Folk Custom Route): Recommended for 9-10 Days
Bayinbrook → Duku Highway → Kashgar → Hongqilafu Port → Tashkurgan County → Taxkorgan → Kashgar → Hotan → Desert Highway → Korla → Urumqi
(4) Eastern Route Tourism: Recommended for 4-5 Days
Urumqi → Tianshan Tianchi → Urumqi → Turpan → Shanshan → Hami
V. Recommendations: Top Ten Must-Visit Attractions
(1) Urumqi: Xinjiang’s Most ‘Beautiful Pasture’
(2) Turpan: A Remnant of the Silk Road, a Land of Abundance and Fertility
(3) Tianshan Tianchi: Heavenly Mirror, Sacred Pool, a Fairyland Like a Painting
(4) Yili: South of the Great Wall, the Hometown of Melons and Fruits, a Natural Museum
(5) Kashgar: The Hometown of Song and Dance, Scenery as Beautiful as Moon Flowers
(6) Karamay: Black Gem, a Beauty on the Gobi Desert
(7) Sayram Lake: Sapphire, the Tears of a Maiden
(8) Kanas: Color-changing Lake, a Pure Land on Earth, the Garden of Gods
(9) Nalati Grasslands: A gathering place for Kazak folk culture
(10) Bayinbrook: Nine Bends and Eighteen Turns, a hidden paradise surrounded by snow-capped mountains
VI. Food Recommendations
Specialty dining includes: Big Plate Chicken, Roast Whole Lamb, Grilled Lamb Skewers, Nang (a staple dry food for long-distance travel), Hand-Grabbed Rice, Oil-Passed Meat with Noodles, Pulled Noodles, Yili’s handmade ice cream, Altay Cold Fish, Pot Noodles, Oil Tower Buns, Wusu Beer, Sanzi (a fried dough twist), Yogurt, Milk Tea, etc. You can freely choose according to personal taste.
Xinjiang Tourism Consultation: (Same) 0991-8585456